This study aimed to identify prognostic factors and describe the treatment outcomes of multidrug therapy in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology (MUE). A total of 23 dogs diagnosed with MUE were treated with prednisolone in combination with cyclosporine, cytosine arabinoside (CA), leflunomide, and mycophenolate mofetil. Based on the survival time, these dogs were divided into two groups: group A (n = 10), surviving for < 100 days, and group B (n = 13), surviving for > 100 days. Signalment, seizure activity, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis results, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings were reviewed. Survival studies were conducted to investigate the association of each prognostic factor and treatment with the clinical outcome. There were no significant differences in age, sex, body weight, occurrence of seizures, cell number and protein concentration in the CSF, or location of lesions between groups A and B. Abnormal MR features were more frequently observed in group A than in group B. It was identified that the longest median survival time was administration of multi-drug therapy including CA. In conclusion, abnormal MR features were associated with poor prognosis in dogs with MUE and CA-based multi-drug therapy could be considered the most effective treatment of MUE.

Boric acid-containing B-10 is used in a nuclear reactor as a coolant and absorbs thermal neutrons generated during nuclear fission in the primary circuit. Boron-containing coolant water waste is generated from maintenance, floor drain, decontamination, and reactor letdown flows. There are two options for aqueous solution waste of boric acid. One is recycling and discharge through filtration, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis. The other is immobilization after evaporation and crystallization processes. The dry powder of boric acid waste liquid can be immobilized by cement, polymer, etc. Before the mid-1990s, concentrated boric acid waste was solidified with a cement matrix. To overcome the disadvantage of low waste loading of cement waste form, a method of solidifying with paraffin was adopted. However, paraffin solids were insufficient to be disposed of as final waste. Paraffin is a kind of soft solidified material and has low compressive strength and poor leaching resistance. As a result, it was decided as an unsuitable form for disposal. In KOREA, paraffin waste form was adopted for boric acid waste treatment in the 1990s. A large amount of paraffin waste forms about 20,000 drums (200 l drum) were generated to treat boric acid waste and were stored in nuclear power sites without disposal. In this study, we want to obtain high-purity boric acid waste by oxidizing and decomposing solid paraffin waste form through a boric acid catalytic reaction. In this reaction, paraffin is separated in the form of various by-products, which can then be treated through a liquid waste treatment device or an exhaust gas treatment device. The proper temperature for sample decomposition during the catalytic reaction was set through TGA analysis. Compositions of by-products and residues generated at each stage of the reaction could be analyzed to determine the state during the reaction. Finally, the boric acid waste powder was perfectly separated from paraffin waste form with disposable products through this pyrolysis process.

In 2017, Kori unit 1 nuclear power plant was permanently shut down at the end of its life. Currently, Historical Site Assessment (HSA) for MARSSIM characteristics evaluation is being conducted according to the NUREG-1575 procedure, this is conducted through comprehensive details such as radiological characteristics preliminary investigation and on-site interview. Thus, the decommissioning of nuclear power plant must consider safety and economic feasibility of structures and sites. For this purpose, the establishment of optimal work plan is required which simulations in various fields. This study aims to establish procedure that can form a basis for a rational decommissioning plan using the virtual nuclear power plant model. The mapping procedure for 3D platform implementation consisted of three steps. First, scan the inside and outside of the nuclear power plant for decommissioning structure analysis, 3D modeling is performed based on the data. After that, a platform is designed to directly measure the radiation dose rate and mapped the derived to the program. Finally, mapping the radiation dose rate for each point in 3D using the radiation dose rate calculation factor according to the time change the measured value created on the 3D mapping platform. When the mapping is completed, it is possible to manage the exposure dose of workers according to the ALARA principle through the charge of radiation dose rate over time because of visualization of the color difference to the radiation dose rate at each point. For addition, the exposure dose evaluation considering the movement route and economic feasibility can be considered using developed program. As the interest in safety accidents for workers increases, the importance of minimum radiation dose and optimal work plan for workers is becoming increasingly important. Through this mapping procedure, it will be possible to contribute to the establishment of reasonable process for dismantling nuclear power plant in the future.

Maintaining fuel sheath integrity during dry storage is important. Intact sheath acts as the primary containment barrier for both fuel pellets and fission products over the dry storage periods and during subsequent fuel handling operations. In KNF, in-house fuel performance code was developed to predict the overall behavior of a fuel rod under normal operating conditions. It includes the analysis modules to predict temperature, pellet cracking and deformation, sheath stress and strain at the mid-plane of the pellet and pellet-pellet interfaces, fission gas release and internal gas pressure. The main focus of the code is to provide information on initial conditions prior to dry storage, such as fission gas inventory and its distribution within the fuel pellet, initial volumes of storage spaces and their locations, radial profile of heat generation within the pellet, etc. To upgrade the developed code that address all the damage mechanisms, the first step was a review of the available technical information on phenomena relevant to fuel integrity. Potential degradation mechanisms that may affect sheath integrity of CANDU spent fuel during dry storage are: creep rupture under internal gas pressure, sheath oxidation in air environment, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), delayed hydride cracking (DHC), and sheath splitting due to UO2 oxidation for a defective fuel. The failure by creep rupture, SCC or DHC is in the form of small cracks or punctures. The failure by sheath oxidation or sheath splitting due to UO2 oxidation results in a gross sheath rupture. The second step was to examine the technical bases of all modules of the in-house code, identify and extend the ranges of all modules to required operating ranges. This step assessed the degradation mechanisms for the fuel integrity. The objective of this assessment is to predict the probability of sheath through-wall failure by a degradation mechanisms as a function of the sheath temperature during dry storage. Further improvements being considered include upgrades of the analysis module to achieve sufficient accuracy in key output parameters. The emphasis in the near future will be on validation of the inhouse code according to a rigorous and formal methodology. The developed models provide a platform for research and industrial applications, including the design of fuel behavior experiments and prediction of safe operating margins for CANDU spent fuel.

This study showcases an International Learning Exchange (ILE) program between North Korean (NK) refugee students in South Korea and American university students from the US. ILE programs connect two or more linguistic/ cultural groups for intercultural awareness, which provide authentic communicative environments. However, the prevalent use of English and research focus mostly on non-native English-speaking students reflect the ideology of native-speakerism embedded in ILE programs. The purpose of this study was to develop an ILE program that resists native-speakerism and to investigate its influences on native as well as non-native English-speaking students. Adopting a case-study approach, data were collected from video-taping, fieldnotes, student documents, surveys, and interviews. Findings show how the authors designed and implemented a principle-based ILE program. The responses of NK students show their growing motivation and communication ability. The responses of American students show their critical reflections on their native-speaker identities. This study offers insights into designing ILE programs based on multilingualism and translanguaging.

Maize is an important cereal crop widely grown in all of Nigeria’s agroecology based on its economic and food values. This has led to its optimum production with Nigeria ranking top 12th maize producer in the world. Presently, the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda is considered a potential threat to food security in Nigeria due to its devastating feeding pattern on maize and its wide host range. Its invasive and high dispersal nature enhances its spread from its first reported state (Oyo) in early 2016 to the entire 36 states of Nigeria by the year 2018. It accounts for averagely an estimated 34% or more yield reduction in Nigeria’s maize field, hence, a need for an efficient management approach. Although most farmers rely on the use of insecticide, it is found ineffective because of the inaccessible location of FAW in maize. This study was carried out to investigate the different management approaches adopted in Nigeria to control FAW and its impact on the insect pest population. Conventional measures such as planting improved seeds, avoidance of late planting, and polyculture to increase the natural enemy’s population have been used but with limited control of FAW. Maize lines with aflatoxin resistance or transgenic Bt-maize are found resistant to FAW. Botanicals such as neem extract lowered the percentage of leaf area damage, incidence of FAW larva infestation, and the number of larvae. It is difficult to curtail the menace of FAW through one control method, hence, the need for an integrated approach

Soybean is an important crop widely grown in the northern region of Nigeria for human and animal consumption. Commercial production of soybean in Nigeria has existed for eight decades. Current malnutrition and nutrient health problems in Nigeria warranted the introduction of high nutritive and affordable food sources such as soybean in the Nigerian diet. The high demand for soybean and its products has led to the rise in the cultivation of soybean in Nigeria. Although an increase in production has been recorded, the region of production has failed to achieve the potential yield per hectare. In improving soybean production in Nigeria, it is paramount to understand the factors that contribute to the process of production. This review paper provides information on factors affecting soybean production across the regions of production in Nigeria. The identified factors responsible for the yield gap include the impact of climate change on the agroecology shift, nutrient depletion and soil fertility, sowing date, the emergence of pests and diseases, and limited improved soybean cultivars. Adoption of improved soybean variety suitable in agroecology and sowing, at the appropriate sowing date by Nigerian farmers, can guarantee optimum soybean production. Further soybean breeding improvement studies are needed to provide more improved varieties with superior performance in Nigeria’s agroecology to achieve yield potential.

The leaves of Allium victorialis (AV) are known an edible perennial herb, which has been used in Korean traditional medicine. However, the beneficial pharmacological effects of AV extracts (AVE) on the antioxidant activity and atopic dermatitis (AD) have not been thoroughly examined. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate both antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effect of AVE on AD in vitro and in vivo. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by total polyphenol content and ferric reducing ability. AVE showed a level of polyphenol content and reducing power activity. The five-week-old BALB/c mice were used as an AD-like mouse model by treating them with 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB). Topical administration of AVE for 3 weeks to DNCB-treated mice significantly alleviated clinical skin lesion dermatitis severity and epidermal thickness. Histopathological analysis also demonstrated that AVE decreased eosinophil and mast cell infiltration into skin and ear tissue. These results suggest that topical application of AVE inhibits the development of AD-like skin lesion in mice by their antioxidant activity. Thus, AVE may be a potential therapeutic agent for AD.

Korea Research Reactor 1&2 (KRR-1&2), Korea’s first research reactor, began dismantling in 1997. As of 2022, the demolition of general areas such as offices has been completed, and contaminated areas such as reactor rooms remain. On the other hand, construction waste generated in contaminated areas of nuclear facilities cannot be disposed of as general industrial waste. It is predicted that about 5,000 tons of construction waste will be generated if the contaminated area of KRR-1&2 is demolished. In this study, the application plan for the demolition of contaminated area of KRR-1&2 was reviewed through a review of laws and cases related to domestic and overseas disposal. The only method for disposing of construction waste in contaminated areas that can be applied in Korea is clearance in accordance with Nuclear Safety Commission Notice No. 2020-06. In addition, there has been no case of demolishing large-scale nuclear facilities in Korea. Therefore, there are limitations in domestic laws and standards to be applied to the dismantling of contaminated areas of KRR-1&2. The IAEA and the United States specify comprehensive matters such as optimization of radiation protection and minimization of waste products. The EU recommends demolition after decontamination by removing contaminated areas before demolition of buildings. It also presents three options for reuse, recycling, and disposal of buildings and building waste. In particular, in the case of Germany, detailed radioactivity measurement methods for deregulation of buildings and building waste are presented in accordance with the EU’s guidelines. As a result of synthesizing this, it is judged that the EU and Germany building clearance plan will be suitable for domestic application.

The International Atomic Energy Agency recommends the deep geological disposal system as one of the disposal methods for high-level radioactive waste (HLW), such as spent nuclear fuel. The deep geological disposal system disposes of HLW in a deep and stable geological formation to isolate the HLW from the human biosphere and restrict the inflow of radionuclides into the ecosystem. It mainly consists of an engineered barrier and a natural barrier. Safety evaluation using a numerical model has been performed primarily to evaluate the buffer’s long-term stability. However, although the gas generation rate input for long-term stability evaluation is the critical factor that has the most significant influence on the long-term hydraulic-mechanical behavior of the buffer, in-depth research and experimental data are lacking. In this study, the gas generation rate on the interface between the disposal canister and the buffer material, a component of the engineered barrier, was mainly studied. Gas can be generated between the disposal canister and the buffer material due to various causes such as anaerobic corrosion of the disposal canister metal, organic matter decomposition, radiation decomposition, and steam generation due to high temperature. The generation of gas in such a disposal environment increases the pore gas pressure in the buffer and causes internal cracks. The occurred cracks increase the intrinsic permeability of the buffer, which leads to a decrease in the primary performance of the buffer. For this reason, it is essential to apply the appropriate gas generation rate according to the disposal condition and buffer material for accurate long-term stability analysis. Therefore, the theoretical models regarding the estimation of gas generation were summarized through a literature study. The amount of gas generated was estimated according to the disposal environment and material of the disposal canister. It is expected that estimated values might be used to estimate the long-term stability analysis of buffer performance according to the disposal condition.

The bacterial soft-rot disease is one of the most critical diseases in vegetables such as Chinese cabbage. The researchers isolated two bacteria (Pseudomonas kribbensis and Pantoea vagans) from diseased tissue samples of Chinese cabbages and confirmed them as being the strains that cause soft-rot disease. Lactic-acid bacteria (LAB), were screened and used to control soft-rot disease bacteria. The researchers tested the treatments with hypochlorous acid water (HAW) and LAB supernatant to control soft-rot disease bacteria. The tests confirmed that treatments with the HAW (over 120 ppm) or LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum PL203) culture supernatants (0.5 mL) completely controlled both P. kribbensis and P. vagans.

농촌진흥청 국립원예특작과학원에서는 2018년 오리엔탈-트럼펫(OT) 종간잡종나리 ‘Pink Bella’를 개발하였다. 2008년 연노란색 OT 종간잡종나리 ‘Valparadiso’와 붉은색의 오리엔탈나리 ‘Scalini’를 각각 모본과 부본으로 화주 절단 수분법과 주 두교배법으로 각 3화를 인공교배하였고, 교배 후 미숙한 3개의 꼬투리를 수확하여 배가 형성된 배주를 기내에서 배양하여 잡종을 획득한 후 재배하였다. 육묘한 배양묘로부터 2011년 분홍색의 OT 종간잡종 나리 ‘OTO-11-43’ 계통을 개체 선발하였다. 2012년부터 2017년까지 선발된 계통은 자구와 인편번식, 조직배양을 이용하여 번식 및 양구한 후 1, 2차 생육특성 검정을 실시하였다. 2018년 3차 생육특성검정 및 소비자 기호도 평가를 수행한 결과 화색 및 화형에 대한 기호도가 높은 분홍색(RHS, RP62C)의 조기개화성 절화용 OT 종간잡종 나리 ‘Pink Bella’를 육성하였다. 3배체의 OT 종간잡종 나리로 초장은 131.7cm로 초장신장성이 우수하였다. ‘Pink Bella’의 화폭은 18.6cm이며 대조품종 ‘Table Dance’의 18.4cm와 유사한 크기였으며, 내화피의 폭, 길이 역시 대조품종과 통계적인 차이가 없었다. ‘Pink Bella’의 개화기는 6월 15일로 대조품종 ‘Table Dance’의 6월 28일에 비교하여 개화기가 13일 단축된 것으로 나타났으며 통계적으로 유의하였다.